I know it's not the question but it's fun to think of this in terms of longevity. I don't think Samuel Beckett belongs in the top 100 right now, but centuries from now I predict he will be better known than anyone on this list other than Ghandi, Einstein and Hitler.
Interesting. If we're looking at just literary figures, I think I would have to go with Twain. He probably belongs more in the 19th, but he did straddle the century mark and some of his more evocative and certainly cynical writing occurred in the 20th. Then there's Hemingway, but those two are Americans. Anyone else I'm not thinking of? Maybe the Harry Potter lady? On the artist front, I think Picasso is the easy winner there.
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